Schumer, Gillibrand, Bishop Demand Navy Stop Dragging Its Feet and Develop Plan to Clean Up Dangerous Plume Threatening Peconic River and Riverhead Drinking Water

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Schumer, Gillibrand, Bishop Demand Navy Stop Dragging Its Feet and Develop Plan to Clean Up Dangerous Plume Threatening Peconic River and Riverhead Drinking Water

Schumer Leading The Battle To Demand Navy Change Its Misguided Policy of Natural Pollution Reduction Which Would Leave Long Island's Drinking Water in Serious Danger

Alarming Concentrations of Toxic Chemicals Found In Test Wells Surrounding Former Navy Weapons Plant; Drinking Water Well Already Shut Down and Chemicals Detected In NYS Protected River

Also Insisting the Navy Reimburse Suffolk County for Costs of Testing, Taxpayers Should Not Have to Foot Bill For Navy's Mistakes

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Timothy Bishop, demanded the United States Navy change its policy of ‘natural attenuation' and immediately implement an advanced remediation action plan for the decades-old groundwater plume underneath the former Naval Weapons Facility in Calverton, NY. The natural attenuation policy focuses on nature flushing out pollution over time rather than taking quick action to prevent the pollution from causing any further damage. Schumer, Gillibrand, and Bishop are also insisting that the Navy reimburse Suffolk County for the costs accrued during costly testing of water surrounding the facility and finally acknowledge and address the pollution putting Long Islanders in danger. The Navy's current monitoring and remediation plan, in place since 1998 and in coordination with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, has failed to address critical drinking water and natural resource impacts related to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) on and off the former Grumman facility. According to recent tests conducted by the Suffolk County Department of Health, high levels of toxic compounds have been detected in public drinking water wells off-site and in the Peconic River for the first time since advanced monitoring began in the summer of 2008. The US Navy has indicated to Suffolk County that the plume does not appear to be causing any significant impacts and does not need to be remediated further. But Suffolk County monitoring has shown a very significant potential threat to the natural and drinking water resources in the area.

"It is time for the Navy to stop dragging its feet on this matter and take immediate action to protect Long Islanders from dangerous pollution," Schumer said. "For too long, the Navy has sat back and watched as dangerous chemicals migrate towards critical drinking water wells and the Peconic River. The Navy's policy of letting nature take its course has proven to be ineffective and irresponsible. We have given the Navy too many chances, it is now time to quit playing around and ensure that Long Islanders are safe."

"We must know the extent of contamination in order to adequately protect the surrounding communities and natural resources. The Suffolk County Department of Health has done its part and now it's time for the U.S .Navy to do the same. It is vital that the Navy take action to protect Long Island families from this pollution," Senator Gillibrand said.

"Protecting our drinking water is a critical health issue that requires constant vigilance," said Congressman Bishop. "We cannot just stand by and hope this problem goes away. It is the Navy's responsibility to protect American citizens and that includes preventing our drinking water from being poisoned by Navy-related activities."

It has recently been discovered that the plume is larger and deeper that what was originally believed and it spreading to additional aquifers. This plume contains industrial solvents that can not only hurt marine life, but can devastate humans as well. While the pollution spreads, the Navy has decided that the problem will dissipate as time goes on and refuses to take an action to protect the public.

Toxic compounds have been discovered in the Peconic River which originated from the former Northrop Grumman site in Calverton. Beneath the former Northrop Grumman weapons plant is a groundwater plume that is a quarter mile wide and may stretch nearly a half-mile south of the site. The Navy believes the plume likely originated from the 55 year old weapons plant site where Grumman workers used intense compounds to clear grease from jet engines. In February 1996, Grumman ended their operations at the site. Two years later, the Navy turned most of its land over to both the town and the state, but 350 acres were left and in desperate need of environmental cleanup after tests showed high levels of contamination.

The Grumman site is located above the Long Island groundwater aquifer, which serves as the sole source of drinking water for Long Island. The United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that the contaminated groundwater may leak into nearby surface waters and settle into the bottom sediments of nearby waters. There is also great concern that the Peconic River will be coming increasingly polluted if quick action is not taken. The Peconic River is protected under the New York State Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act and the NYS DEC strictly limits discharges into the river. Moreover, the River is the main freshwater tributary for the Peconic Estuary, which is designated by the USEPA as an Estuary of National Significance. The contamination at the site is moving in a southeasterly direction towards to Peconic River and contains trichloroethane, an industrial solvent, and chloroethane, a gasoline additive, as well as other volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, according to the Navy. Short-term exposure to high levels of VOCs causes headaches, dizziness, light-headedness, drowsiness, nausea, and eye and respiratory irritation, which go away after the exposure is eliminated.

However, in laboratory animals, long-term exposure to high levels of VOCs has caused cancer and seriously harmed the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.

Last summer, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services dug 24 test wells 100 feet apart around the Grumman site's southern border. One well tested at 1,090 micrograms per liter for VOCs and two other wells tested as high at the 800s and 600s. New York state drinking water standards are 5 micrograms per liter. Recent samples tested as high as 1,030 micrograms per liter of VOCs In addition, one drinking-water well along the southern border of the site has already had to be shut down due to high VOC contamination levels.

However, new test results at more than two dozen new wells recently made available by the Department show that the contamination is as deep as approximately 115 feet and in concentrations of 1,030 micrograms per liter of VOCs at 35 to 40 feet deep. Two other wells turned up 539 micrograms per liter at 30 to 35 feet and 232 micrograms per liter at 45 to 50 feet. State drinking water standards are 5 micrograms per liter.

For its part, the Navy has until recently said that it will look into other, less passive methods of monitoring the spread of VOCs. However, it would not commit to full-fledged clean up efforts off site. Lately, the Navy has committed a natural attenuation plan, leaving the plume to run its own course, potentially causing more danger to the environment and the public. This has sparked an outcry from concerned citizens who want to see local environmental protection efforts backed up by the Navy. They feel that the Navy has gone only half-way in ensuring that local officials have the resources and support needed to fully address the risk that contaminated groundwater presents.

In March, Schumer demanded that the Navy immediately develop a new Remediation Action Plan for the decades-old groundwater plume emanating from the former Naval Weapons Facility in Calverton, NY that includes both on-site and off-site contamination issues, explore potential reimbursement options for Suffolk County, as local taxpayers are now footing the bill for additional monitoring measures off-site which the Navy may be liable for, and re-instate the Technical Assistance Program specialist to the Calverton case. Unfortunately, no action has been taken yet.

Schumer, Gillibrand, and Bishop are now demanding that the Navy take three specific actions to protect the public.

First, the reimbursement of Suffolk County for the valuable data that the County's Department of Health Services has obtained. These costs would include additional groundwater and surface water sampling and any further costs associated with protecting other resources from this plume.
Second, the Navy's approval of a waiver to permit funding beyond $100,000 for the Technical Assistance for Public Participation (TAPP) program for the Calverton Restoration Advisory Board (RAB). The continued funding of this program is important to the community and the Navy.
Third, the Navy immediately discontinues applying the "natural attenuation" policy to the Calverton case. It has become very clear that an advanced remediation action plan to clean up this site is needed, and it's time for the Navy to draft such a plan with the NYS DEC and Suffolk County Department of Health and implement it without inundating local taxpayers with the cost.

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